The Military Council has arrested and charged many locals in southern Rakhine State as part of a campaign to stem the spread of support for the United League of Arakan and Arakan Army (ULA/AA). During the last week of October, 15 local people from Thandwe, Taungup and Ann Townships were arrested and charged under Section 17(1) of Unlawful Associations Act.
A resident of Taungup commented, "The arrests are very intense in Taungup and Thandwe Townships these days. Almost every day they (The Military Council soldiers) make random arrests leading to a climate of fear. The detained people are usually accused of being AA supporters and informers.”
In Thandwe, Taungup and Ann Townships, at least 15 people had been charged in recent days with allegations of reporting military activities to the AA, transferring the Military Council's departmental information to AA or funding the AA.
4 local people from Taungup are among those who have been charged by the Military. They are U Kyaw Thaung (42) of Hmo Hin Taw Village, Ko Ko Naing (29) of Thayetpin Chaung Village, Soe Min Tun (32) of Hman Ni Village and Aye Kyaw Kyaw (39) of Nyaung Phauk Village.
U Aung San (45), a Chin ethnic Christian preacher from Talaitaung Village in Ann Township has also been arrested and prosecuted.
The above 5 were accused of reporting the activities of the Military Council and government staff to AA, and were charged under Section 17(1) of Unlawful Associations Act.
On October 27, Nyi Pu Che and Nay Myo Aung from Singaung Village in Thandwe Township, U Kyaw Kyaw Naing (aka) Kyap Sap of Indinegyi Village, U Maung Hmat from Laeti Village, Daw Khin Hla from Mhan Ni Village and U Kyaw Kyaw Naing from Thinpan Shwe Village from Taungup were also all arrested under the Unlawful Associations Act.
Win Maung Maung Phyo (aka) Ko Phyo, a senior clerk from Thandwe District General Administration Department has also charged under Section 17(1) as well as Section 505(a) of the Penal Code, alleging that he sent office documents and meeting audio files to AA.
Another clerk from the same department, Hlaing Win Htut (aka) Win Htut, a Sate Kyee villager, is also accused of working as an informer for ULA/AA members in Kyaukphyu and Thandwe and has charged under Section 17(1) too.
The news of arresting and prosecuting locals was also reported in Rakhine Daily, which is distributed by the Military Council in Rakhine State.
